


Lunch Break Epiphanies

by LinaThanatos



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Falling In Love, Getting Together, In love but not together, M/M, Romance, not a threesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24333094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinaThanatos/pseuds/LinaThanatos
Summary: Or... how two nerdy workaholics realise they have been dating for the last few weeks...
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang
Comments: 10
Kudos: 98





	Lunch Break Epiphanies

**Author's Note:**

> Here I am, doing what I haven’t done in near a decade... posting fan fiction again. Oh dear.
> 
> This is a small piece of the background romance and world building for a larger project I’m slowly and inconsistently working my way through.
> 
> It’s not a crossover in itself, but part of a crossover world. So if I ever get to finish the whole thing, bear in mind this is set in a FMA/HP scenario.

Ed has been in central going on half a year already, and away from Resembool for a year over that, when he learns of Mustang and his team’s return to the Capital. Or, catches wind of the transfer of a general through the grapevine, if you want to get technical.

This leads to some discreet and other not so discreet inquiries around HQs. A catch up call to Havoc, another one with Rebecca, and, most notably, a _very nice_ dinner date with Lucy one memorable Tuesday evening, all for naught. And all ultimately unnecessary, once the confirmation is unceremoniously dumped on his lap during a Sunday lunch with Gracia and Elicia (because of course the damned bastard will leave his aunt in the dark, but tell Elicia he will be back in town next Thursday).

Anyways, Ed has been in Central for over five months by the time Roy gets transferred, and he will deny it even under pain of death, but he is excited. Hyper aware of the days and hours and minutes, anxious and thrilled by turns, he can’t quite pinpoint the exact source of his agitation, only that a mixture of both anticipation and uncertainty won’t let his thought settle. What will they think of his new commission? Will they be surprised to see him? ( _What will they say? Will they approve?_ )

Nevertheless, when they finally make the move back to Central, Ed is quick to get back in contact.

It certainly catches the whole team by surprise. They had all expected Edward to reject the new Fuhrer’s offer and fully renounce to the military. The surprise doesn’t last long though, and soon gives way to joy, even if disbelief and a certain worried incomprehension linger stubbornly in the back of the commander and his second’s minds. But doubts can’t stop them from appreciating Ed’s presence back in Central and in their lives, and soon they are all hanging out together after work, having lunch and drinks whenever they have the time, even if their now separate offices mean their schedules don’t always coincide.

The first time Ed and Roy find themselves together truly alone is when Ed is babysitting Elicia and Roy comes unannounced to the Hughes’. They spend a surprisingly pleasant time together, both playing candidly with Elicia and, when she is asleep, just talking together and in silent company.

It is in this moment that Edward realises that, in particular, this man’s dreams mean a huge lot to him. Nearly as much as his bother’s. He finds himself still in the military, even if he had sworn he took the dog leash only as a means to get their bodies back, and traces the root cause to a promise of 520 cenz.

It is both jarring and relieving. Startling, a depth of understanding he didn’t have of himself until now, and one he doesn’t exactly know what to do with. But despite it, or maybe because of it, it also makes something in his heart and mind feel lighter, to finally have this certainty.

Meanwhile, Roy is trying to wrap his mind around his own revelations.

Roy finds himself very suddenly faced with the paradigm shifting realisation that Edward is now a man. That they can talk and debate and connect in deep, meaningful levels, because he is no longer talking to a child (genius or not, Major or not, still a child) but to an adult. He finds this slightly mellowed down version of Ed, calmer in his self-awareness and self-confidence, someone enjoyable and, dare he say it, trustworthy. Not with the grand things (because that was never a question at all), but in a personal level too.

So they talk the hours away while Elicia sleeps and Gracia is out for a well deserved evening with her friends. And they keep talking on the way out, Roy’s original purpose all but an afterthought and Gracia’s goodbyes absentmindedly returned.

And they talk again next morning, somehow both early and at a nearby pastry shop close to both their offices even if none have ever been known to wake one second earlier than necessary.

And they keep talking. At lunch, and at Gracia’s, and at the bar, surrounded by the din of their friends, and at one or the other’s office, late into their never-ending extra hours.

* * *

Weeks later they are having lunch together in a little diner near headquarters, when, watching Roy laugh at a crude joke, Ed comes to the realisation that it is only in this last couple of months that he has heard Roy laugh so freely. He guesses he finally is getting to know the man, and not the officer. And he likes what he sees.

Roy is attractive (but he knows that, always has; never really stopped at gender when it comes to noting physical attractiveness), not only in looks, but as a person. He has a honest smile when he actually _smiles_ , and a honest laugh, that he doesn’t share much — _because_ he doesn’t share it much, only when he means it and with those he trusts. He has a good heart, and not only entertains dreams for the future, but has the determination and courage to seek them out, and to get muddy and bloody, but never dirty, in his enterprise.

Ed is equal parts elated and nervous when he realises that he likes Roy, and that he really wants to pursue whatever it is that is growing between them.

He is 100% shit-his-pants terrified at the prospect of talking to Riza about this.

Because there is no way around that. He must speak to Riza, or be the greatest arsehole in human history.

So he picks his sorry arse off his couch and makes his way to Riza’s place that very evening, before his brain can see reason and decide discretion is the better part of valour.

He feels alternately a creep and an idiot as he loiters in the hallway outside Riza’s apartment, and a coward the whole time. An idiot for not calling in advance, a creep for the actual loitering, and a coward because it takes him the better part of fifteen minutes to knock. When she opens, he feels fifteen again, with a cold unused gun in his hands and looking for answers he fears to get, because, one way or another, they will change his life.

‘I want to talk to you about something personal,’ he says once they are seated and with tea at hand. ‘It involves Roy.’

He knows the moment the words are out that Riza knows exactly what he’s talking about.

In all honesty, he had been hoping it would be so when he used Roy’s name instead of his surname or rank, because he has no idea how to put any of this into words. The woman’s in love with the guy, for fuck’s sake! And Roy loves her too. They have just mutually decided not to make any sort of romantic relationship out of their feelings; their ambitions, their dream for a better Amestris more important in their minds. Yet here he is, confessing his growing attraction for the same man this woman loves enough not to let herself be in love, and asking for permission to pursue him.

‘Roy and I have grown close these last few months and...’ he hesitates, but he shouldn’t have worried.

‘You want for the two of you to grow even closer,’ she finishes for him, her expression drawn and eyes warded, even if her back is slumped the slightest bit over her tea.

It is several long minutes of tense silence before she closes her eyes and sighs, all tension leaving her; before her brown eyes open again, this time resigned, and a little wry. ‘Why did you come?’

‘Because you love each other,’ he answers as if it were simple, self-evident. Then heclarifies, ‘Romantically. That you’ve chosen not to openly be a couple does not mean there isn’t a tacit tie between you. If anything comes out of Roy and I, he will still love you, you will still be an essential part of his heart. And you are dear to me, I could never just insult you like that.’

Her eyes and her whole countenance harden. ‘What will you do if I say no?’

It is phrased as a question, but it is very much a demand.

Edward pales, and something heavy sets on his chest. He knows his answer though. Has known it since he first realised he has to get Riza’s blessing to ever feel like he deserves to try to be with Roy.

His answering smile is shaky and his voice is soft, but he means every word. ‘I... I’ll just have to stop going out with Roy for lunch, or dinner, or... well, anyways... I guess it’s better if I start taking up my own office team up on their invitations for drinks more than Jean’s and the guys’, don’t you think?’

Riza’s penetrating gaze is unnerving; Her focus unwavering, her intensity burning and her sight all seeing, digging up every little doubt and secret from the depths of his soul. His smile just becomes a little more honest and a little more hopeless with every passing second.

With a shake of her head, Riza dispels the mounting tension, and offers Ed her first smile since the conversation started. ‘You’re one of a kind, Ed. Please never change.’

And it is her turn to look a little hopeless. ‘Roy has also grown close to you. Faster and far closer than he realises, so you’ll probably have to be very blatant at some point or another,’ she finished with a teasing lilt to her smirk.

All Ed could feel is relief. Relief and love, so much love for this woman, who has done so much for him and looked after him for so long.

* * *

Roy realises he’s been dating Edward Elric for the last three weeks when he turns down a flirty secretary with actually good intel just for the sake of their now customary lunch at the little diner.

He is further shocked to realise that Ed actually knows they are dating, and is appropriately flirty and appealing and downright _romancing_.

His world is flipped on its axis when he finds himself automatically responding in kind, because he has been flirting back all along. His shock is apparent enough that Ed notices and stops his comedic retelling of some or other office shenanigan to ask if everything is fine and _take his hand_.

Roy is transfixed by the sight.

Their hands. Joined.

And he _likes_ it.

He is comforted by it. And feels comfortable having this kind of closeness with Edward. His brain to mouth filter deserts him, and he asks in a slightly faint voice: ‘Are we dating?’.

Ed goes still, but doesn’t remove his hand. His eyes also turn to their joined hands, and then to Roy’s eyes. He then smiles, a little sheepish, a lot honest, and asks: ‘Would you like to?’.

It’s only when Roy is faced with the express need to formulate that answer that he becomes aware that yes, he would like it. Very much. He is as blindsided by this epiphany as he has been by all others this afternoon (what little has passed of it, at least.)

(And he maybe fears what the rest of the day will bring just a little bit).

**Author's Note:**

> I’m thinking of writing Roy’s reaction to Riza once he gets back to the office...
> 
> Thought? Feelings? Opinions?


End file.
